Cervical screening/smear tests

[Blakelycakey]

I was very upset when I got the news I had an abnormal smear. My GP surgery hadn't even bothered to phon me I was sent a very generic letter with a leaflet. I phoned my mum crying (I am a bit of worrier bout my health) and she had me speak to my brother. And I tell you what, bless him, my brother actually explained abnormal smears to me in a very easy to understand manner and I loved how he did it.
He told me that basically an abnormal smear is like a mole that needs removing. You take care of it before it results into something like C. Now what a good analogy is that, I'm not worried about a mole as they are easy to treat and you know so is an abnormal smear

Oh my god thank you! This is what I needed to hear right now! Same just got the generic letter and leaflet and obviously turned to google! Which is not your friend. But hearing you say it like that makes complete sense! Yes I would worry a little about a mole but wouldn’t panic and think the absolute worst like I have done with this. Thank you so much it has definitely calmed me down! Xx

 

[Babysnark]

This subject makes me so squeamish and I dont even know why! I'm so glad people are talking about it though because it is so so important that smear tests are attended.

I had my first smear at 25, I also have a tilted cervix (cant remember but its right or left) which means its so painful to have a speculum inserted and I'm also a total stress head with apparently tight pelvic floor muscles (I can feel myself tensing even thinking about a smear!!). Unfortunately I had abnormal cells, HPV positive so had a colposcopy and biopsy at the hospital. Not an ideal introduction to gynaecological health!! I don't want to put anyone off going for their smear but the biopsy was probably one of the worst things I've had done in hospital (I've never had an operation though). However I do not for one second regret going through with it.

The results came back low grade and they said to have another smear the following year. I did and again it was abnormal - another colposcopy and the consultant at the colposcopy clinic then told me that I would be directly contacted by them instead of my GP to come back in a year to keep monitoring me which scared the shit out of me.

I went to my 3rd appointment last year, nervous as hell and everything is completely normal. It did hurt as usual so for those worrying just because it hurts doesn't mean something is wrong Next smear is routine and 4 years away (5 from the appointment)

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I'm expecting my first smear letter through the post any day now! I am a bit apprehensive, I won't lie. As others have said, all I hear is negative experiences and my friends dont seem to take it seriously. I doubt some of them will even go to their appt or arrange one.

I remember my first time and I was apprehensive. I told the nurse I was shy and a bit anxious and she tried to be gentle. I didn’t find the first time that bad only embarrasing.
The more relaxed you are the more comfortable it will be.
Try and focus on the end result which is you health

 

[blondelolita]

Me too! Was so embarrassing my first one! But after a few smears and having babies, I know the score! Once you know, tell them as soon as your laying down. I find if I clench my fists into a ball and put them under my bum so it lifts my hips up they can find it a lot easily with a longer speculum think it’s called lol

YES that’s the word haha! Glad I’m not alone, I feel like everyone I know had no issues and then there was me!

 

[GiftedNotFree]

I had a smear test at 16 at a sexual health clinic. I had not one but two male doctors do it, and it was horrible. That, along with past sexual trauma as a child, has put me off ever going even though I know how important they are and I know I should. It’s on my to do list and I’m determined that this year I will make myself go (I’m 27 so have been getting reminder letters for years!)

How awful for you . If you’re in the UK, you can request a female nurse / practitioner when you book the appointment. When you go you can explain you’re nervous/ have had a bad experience and they will (hopefully!!) be very careful with you and explain what’s happening to keep you comfortable.
Good luck, you’ll be fine

 

[Lulu Goss]

I had a smear test at 16 at a sexual health clinic. I had not one but two male doctors do it, and it was horrible. That, along with past sexual trauma as a child, has put me off ever going even though I know how important they are and I know I should. It’s on my to do list and I’m determined that this year I will make myself go (I’m 27 so have been getting reminder letters for years!)

 

[JLXRD]

I had my cervical screening today, this is only my second one as I’m turning 28 soon but it hurt SO much.

I really don’t remember it hurting that much last time, I also bled a fair bit after so I don’t know if she was just a bit rough with me.

Have looked online and seems like that is perfectly normal but still has worried me a little bit as I just wasn’t expecting that level of pain tbh.

Anyone else had a similar experience and had their results come back okay?

Or if you have any advice/screening related stories would be interesting to know others experiences as it’s something most of us on this forum have to go through every few years!

 

[Blakelycakey]

An update that I got my results back today and was HPV negative, so nothing to worry about glad I booked it and got it out of the way before I was 25 and the blood was nothing to worry about

Happy yours all came back good I’m still waiting for my colposcopy appointment Doctor said as long as im seen within three months I should be fine. Little bit more reassuring I guess x

 

[WilmaHun]

Thank you so so much xx

Hope all goes well today! I too am 25 and have had the colposcopy - you will be absolutely fine!

 

[Countrybumpkingirl]

I had my cervical screening today, this is only my second one as I’m turning 28 soon but it hurt SO much.

I really don’t remember it hurting that much last time, I also bled a fair bit after so I don’t know if she was just a bit rough with me.

Have looked online and seems like that is perfectly normal but still has worried me a little bit as I just wasn’t expecting that level of pain tbh.

Anyone else had a similar experience and had their results come back okay?

Or if you have any advice/screening related stories would be interesting to know others experiences as it’s something most of us on this forum have to go through every few years!

Everytime I have mine (which is more frequent than most and started aged 21) they hurt like hell. Always have even when the results have been abnormal.
Don't be worried if you have HPV they say most people (pre vaccine days) will have it at some point.
I am waiting for my next colposcopy to see if things have settled down from last year or not. I had a scare just before the most important exams of my career so was not fun.
Also if it says abnormal do not panic, it doesn't mean cancer. If they are concerned what they will do is burn off any abnormal cells

 

[JLXRD]

I feel a bit like in an attempt to encourage people to go and not be afraid they’ve said the whole ‘you barely even feel it’ thing, so I’ve been so used to hearing it didn’t hurt that I panicked when it did.

Better I went and did it obvs so it worked.

 

[Voiceofreason2020]

I wouldn’t worry about the pain, our bodies change so much throughout the years and it certainly wouldn’t hurt any more or any less if there was something wrong at smear stage - just think positive I know it’s easier said than done.

I had the loophole procedure twice after my first smear at 26 - it was absolutely fine. A bit of a shock but better that they find these things than to leave them and not be treated

 

[ChipsAhoy]

Please please go! I know is hard! I’m 34 with 3 little ones. It’s a pain making time to get booked in but quick and painless check... wouldn’t want to imagine the consequences if I hadn’t have chased my appointment up xxxx

Thank you fo this .... I’m definitely making it a priority

 

[Blakelycakey]

Just popping up to share my experience of my first smear test and colposcopy in an attempt to calm any worries or encourage people to go.

First up - I had my first smear test in December 2020, at nearly 30. I'd been putting it off for years and, as I'd moved around a bit, never had a letter asking me to go. I have quite bad hypochondria/health anxiety and, as much as I knew it was important to go, I felt sick every time I thought aboutit and before i knew it, 5 years had passed.

Anyway, a couple of months ago I had some bleeding after sex (nothing really heavy, cleared up in a few hours, but it hadn't happened before) and so I bit the bullet and called the doctor. She booked me in for a smear.

The smear was done by a nurse and she was lovely (she actually went on to tell me that when she first met her husband and they were 'at it like rabbits' she had bleeding after sex frequently and it just kind of turned out to be from the actual bashing around in sex, nothing sinister). I pretty much burst into tears as soon as I went into the room but she was really soothing. Part of the worry of going for a smear after having put it off for so long was because I was worried the nurse would tell me off - she didn't, she just said 'make sure not to put it off again'. She used a small speculum and after a couple of false starts where she didn't quite get the angle right, it really wasn't very painful. The speculum pinches a bit and you're aware that something is...'opening' you up, but I didn't feel any scraping or really anything from when she was taking the sample. It was over really quickly.

I had to wait a while for my results and put it to the back of my mind. My results came back as positive for HPV and as showing signs of low grade dyskaryosis. I was a mess - coupled with the bleeding (that didn't happen again btw) I was convinced something terrible was wrong and it was all my fault for missing my smear etc. I was asked to go for a colposcopy - cue a month of worrying myself to death.

Colposcopy was last week and, despite working myself into a frenzy, it was again fine. There were three nurses in there with me and they were, again, all lovely. I had to put my legs in stirrups (which I found scary but was actually kind of comfy) and they then use the speculum - i actually found this more comfortable this time, despite being more scared. The nurse did warn that I might feel a bit of tingling where she was applying solutions to test the cells - I did feel tingling but it really didn't hurt. It took longer than the smear but again, really not that long. The nurses were talking to me and it was over quickly. The tests showed everything was normal and all I have to do now is go for a smear in a year.

Still haven't gotten to the bottom of that incident of bleeding, which is playing on my mind, but just wanted to share a positive experience!

Thank you for sharing! So glad everything was ok for you in the end. Hearing your story is so reassuring my story is similar 7 years from last smear, unusual bleeding, smear showed abnormal cells and positive for HPV. Got results first week in November. There is a delay with our colposcopy appointments at the hosptial they’ve said I should have mine second week in Feb Wait is killing me so I’m hoping I have the same outcome as you xx

 

[Blakelycakey]

My only smear was absolutely agonising, they couldn’t find my cervix and had to try different sizes and lengths and I bled a lot for a couple of days after. (Apparently I have a tilted cervix, so I found out). I would do it again in a heartbeat and I encourage anyone to.

Me too! Was so embarrassing my first one! But after a few smears and having babies, I know the score! Once you know, tell them as soon as your laying down. I find if I clench my fists into a ball and put them under my bum so it lifts my hips up they can find it a lot easily with a longer speculum think it’s called lol

 

[LaurieLaurie]

I never feel a thing but I always worry when they comment on my ectropion.. cells on the outside of my cervix.

 

[GiftedNotFree]

I had all the hpv vaccines when I was a teenager im 25 now and my first smear test was hpv positive but no abnormal cells so I go back to retest in a year which is coming up soon. Can the hpv go away on its own?

Yes, HPV can clear itself. Your body can fight it like any other virus. But if it doesn’t, it can cause the cells to become abnormal and those abnormal cells can become cervical cancer.

If it’s not cleared itself after 3 years, you’ll usually need a colposcopy to check what’s going on.

 

[frillylilly]

Thank you for sharing! So glad everything was ok for you in the end. Hearing your story is so reassuring my story is similar 7 years from last smear, unusual bleeding, smear showed abnormal cells and positive for HPV. Got results first week in November. There is a delay with our colposcopy appointments at the hosptial they’ve said I should have mine second week in Feb Wait is killing me so I’m hoping I have the same outcome as you xx

Best of luck with your colposcopy - I know the thought of it sucks but it's not as bad as your mind is telling you it will be. Take some deep breaths and hang on in there!xx

 

[~vix~83~]

I had my 4th smear In the summer, my nurse was sick so had a different one but I actually knew her as my husbands district nurse She couldn’t do it as she saw blood up there n needed to book a examination with a doctor. I suffer with medical anxiety so wasn’t good! Got appointment a week later and I was so worked up before I left the house but everything was ok.... I had come on that morning too But they was able to check me n do the smear test and said might get a call back.
It was all ok. And that they can do a test if you’ve started your period light. And you can get different size test things, I’m small which is why I’ve always bleed afterwards.
I’ve Always said I’d rather a smear test than a blood test!

 

[idk2]

I'm expecting my first smear letter through the post any day now! I am a bit apprehensive, I won't lie. As others have said, all I hear is negative experiences and my friends dont seem to take it seriously. I doubt some of them will even go to their appt or arrange one.